Keith Alexander Benefit Match

Now here's something you don't see every day, Franny Green (playing for England) beating Steve Hodge (St Lucia!) while Simon Weaver, Ben Futcher and Sir Les of Ferdinand look on.  Nice.

Martin, Nick, the Goldsbroughs and me were down on the banks of the river Sincil yesterday afternoon for a benefit match for the family of Keith Alexander.

An all-star team managed (and featuring) Paul Ince took on a team of players who had played for KA.  As well as Ince, Sir Les and Harry, we had Paul Merson, Dion Dublin, Lee Sharpe, Brian Deane, Rufus Brevette, Paul Davis, Nigel Jemson and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.  The KA XI had Yeo, Mazza, Garlic Mayo, McCombe, Bimmo, Scrappy Doo, McAuley, Biggedy Morgan and Schoey - Simmo was the manager and also made a guest appearance (I think he had a ball hidden up his shirt).

There were fans there from many of Keith's clubs - I saw Macclesfield, Mansfield, Barnet, Bury and Peterborough shirts and there may have been others.  It was an afternoon about fun as well as football and a fitting tribute to one of Lincoln's greatest managers.

A fantastic Rube Goldberg machine - is this even better than the Honda ad?

St. George's Day party at Farndon Boathouse

Look at the lovely ladies. All getting refreshed (as newts).

Broke 100 !

Played 36 holes with Ross and Lewis today.  First 18 at Forest Pines were the usual 100+ but then went round Grange Park in 97.  I've only had three rounds under 100 and two of them have come whilst playing with these two guys after having a 'practise' round in the morning.  That's made my weekend.

I love it when a plan comes together

Easter Walk in the Wolds

It was off to Belchford on Good Friday for some bracing walking in the wolds.

A top quality crew was assembled and led by Martin and Charlotte.  Me & Kezza, Paul & Suzie, Mark & Rachel, Helen & Gareth and Lou made up the elite team of ramblers.

We started off with a fantastic lunch at the Blue Bell Inn before embarking on a circular route to Fulletby and back.  We were helped on the way by Martin's Navy Rum and my hot cross buns.  I can't speak for anyone else, but I was also helped by the bizarre pig/poodle crossbreeds that we encountered.  I was all ready to call the RSPCA until our resident rural expert (Lou) advised that they are actually a rare breed called a mangalitza.

I was also helped by my new boots.  They looked grey when I saw the picture on ebay but, in real life they look distinctly lilac - and I look distinctly fruity.

After our walk (which was 4.26 miles), six of us (we lost Mark, Rachel, Lou, Paul & Suzie) headed to Horncastle for a swift XXXB in the excellent King's Head; where we planned the rest of the campaign.  It was decided that we had had plenty of exercise but not nearly enough real ale so we adjourned to the Green Dragon and then Jolly Brewer.  Martin and Char taught me to play "Who's the Goose" (it's a card game, not a dodgy habit) - after giving them a stuffing, I'm sure they wished they hadn't.

Kezza and I capped off the evening with a kebab and got the bus home.  Top day - well done M&C for getting us all there.

!! MEGABISCUIT !!

Kezza's been baking again :-) but her mixture must have been a bit runny.  Instead of six individual biscuits, we've got one massive MEGABISCUIT! 

Anyone for a slice?

Leicesterval 2010

After the failure of Northern Rail to successfully deliver us to this year's Rotherham Beer Festival, I thought I'd shop around for an alternative service provider.  East Midlands Trains were very keen for our business (who wouldn't be?) and so we travelled to Leicester on Saturday for the CAMRA Leicester Beer Festival 2010.  Me, Harrison, Jon, Nick, Pete & Ginny (aka 'Pinny') and Martin & Charlotte made the trip.  There were over 200 beers, ciders and perries, as well as an on-site curry kitchen.

As a team we managed to try 73 different brews; Pete, Hazza, Nick and Hicko led the way with 12 each, I had 10, Jon and Lottie had eight and Ginwaldo seven (I know that adds up to 81, there was some duplication) - I'm ignoring the Fosters on the train home!  However, as Jon was drinking pints, he wins the prize for the most amount drunk with 8 pints (Hicko 6, Pete 5⁵⁄₆, Hazza & Nick 5¾, Shep 5, Lottie 4 and Ginny 3½) - Jon was always the bookie's favourite!  Nick wins the prize for the strongest ale with Baz's Bonce Blower at 12% (although he only drank ¼ pint because it was foul!).  Nick also won the 'who can go the longest without breaking the seal' prize, narrowly beating me into second.

I reckon it was a very successful and enjoyable trip and it may even replace Rotherham as our annual beer trip of choice.

Full list of brews tried is below:

Farewell Keith

Keith Alexander passed away last night after he got home from Macclesfield's match against Notts County.  What terrible news.  Keith was a real gentleman of football who always gave an honest opinion and had lots of time for the fans.
He led Lincoln to four consecutive play-offs.  My best ever memory of watching the Imps was our 5-3 caning of Scunny in the play-off semi-final.
Sincere condolences to his family.

Rotherham Beer Festival.... nearly

We almost went to Rotherham Beer Festival for the third year running.  That was the plan.  It's just a shame that Northern Rail didn't share our enthusiasm.

I met Mark R at Lincoln Station at about 9am while the other four members of our merry band (Clint, Dicko, Nick and Ross) were en route to Gainsborough and Saxilby International.  I went to buy tickets for everyone to be told that there was a problem on the line and our train (the 9:27) had been cancelled.  Bugger.

A quick telephone conference later and we all met at The Ritz (the Wetherspoon's in Lincoln, not the other one) for a warming breakfast Guinness.  Our phones told us that the 10:27 was also cancelled and, when we returned to the station for the 11:27, that had also been axed.

We decided to cut our losses and create our own real ale tour of Lincoln.  We'd already ticked off the Ritz, next stop was the Green Dragon followed by the Jolly Brewer, Widow Cullen's, the Strugglers and finally the Prince of Wales - from whence we were collected by a couple of wives (our own).

We had a good day out despite the best efforts of Northern Rail.